Mpumalanga ANC chairperson, Mandla Ndlovu, says the ANC has done everything to win the elections in the province, which is still one of the party’s strongholds.
Ndlovu, who spoke to Sunday World when he voted at the Bushbuckridge Civic Centre, hails from Thulamahashe near Bushbuckridge.
The province has set itself a target of 85% votes — an increase from 72% in the 2019 general elections.
Just over 50 seats are to be contested in the Mpumalanga legislature after the elections.
The party’s target may be far-fetched, as the province has been following the trend of losing voters. Before 2019, the ANC won Mpumalanga by 78%.
“We’ve done everything possible to win these elections. We will now let the will of the masses of our people happen,” Ndlovu said.
“Our continued leadership of our legislatures now depends on the will of the voters. We will welcome the outcome. If we lose, we will hand it [the power] over.”
Ndlovu is expected to be among those contesting the premiership if the ANC wins.
When he won the province as ANC chairperson in 2022, he decided not to dismiss premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane from her position.
Mtshweni-Tsipane voted in Emalahleni, where she grew up. She also said that the ground was set for people to have their will.
Credible institution
“Whatever party shall have won, it should have won. The IEC [Independent Electoral Commission] is a credible institution that we’ve historically been using in the country,” Mtshweni-Tsipane said.
“We expect that they will carry out their responsibilities as expected and as enshrined in the constitution of South Africa. We don’t expect them to do anything untoward.”
She said that the elections have run smoothly so far, except for an intimidation incident at a voting station in KwaZamokuhle, Hendrina, on Monday.
Mtshweni-Tsipane and provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Manamela, monitored the station on Tuesday after IEC officials laid intimidation charges.
George Mthethwa, a spokesperson for the Mpumalanga government, claimed that agents of two unnamed parties intimidated the officials.
IEC lays a charge of intimidation
Mpumalanga IEC spokesperson, Thanduxolo Chembeni, said: “The IEC has laid a charge against the individuals whom we are not certain from which political party they belong to.”
The police are investigating the matter.
DA’s Mpumalanga leader, Jane Sithole, voted at Bankenveld in Emalahleni.
“The voting has been smooth. No interruptions or glitches were dealt with urgently. We will not know until later because they say most things happen at night,” Sithole said.
EFF provincial leader Collen Sedibe could not be reached for comment about the election process in the province.
The EFF and the DA are, if there is not too much voter shift against the ANC, expected to fight for the official opposition position in the legislature.
In 2019, the EFF managed to dislodge the DA as the second-biggest party in the province.
